New Delhi (Agency): Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge has taken strong exception to the BJP’s governance in Madhya Pradesh, stating that the ruling party has transformed the state into a “laboratory” for atrocities on the Dalit community. Kharge asserted that the BJP will receive a strong response from voters in the upcoming assembly elections due to its treatment of marginalized groups.
The criticism followed a recent incident where an 18-year-old Dalit man from Sagar district was allegedly beaten to death. The assailants had reportedly been pressuring the young man to persuade his sister to withdraw a sexual harassment case she had filed in 2019. “The Prime Minister, who projects the facade of building the Sant Ravidas temple in Sagar, does not even flinch at atrocities and injustice handed out to Dalits and tribals in Madhya Pradesh,” Kharge commented.
Adding to his allegations, Kharge claimed that the state’s Chief Minister attempts to conceal these “crimes” by performing symbolic gestures like washing the feet of underprivileged individuals, but only when cameras are present. He argued that such actions are insufficient to mask the state’s troubling record on social justice.
Kharge went further, stating that Madhya Pradesh under BJP rule has the highest rate of crimes against Dalits, which is three times the national average. “This time the people of Madhya Pradesh are not going to fall in the trap of the BJP. You (BJP) will get the answer from the people for the atrocities against the deprived and exploited sections of the society after a few months,” he said, hinting at the forthcoming assembly elections.
The accusations come at a sensitive time, as the state prepares for assembly elections. Social justice issues are likely to be at the forefront of political debates, and the Congress appears to be making it a significant part of their campaign strategy. Kharge concluded by stating that the departure of the BJP from power in the state is inevitable, given the public’s growing awareness of these issues.
